Monday, 8 September 2008

Hello Again

Thanks for all your lovely comments recently after my trip to Cath K and "revealing" my den. I've just found out that our friend Cath has a new book coming out next month, "Make", and have gone all dizzy with excitement at the prospect. My other half casually asked if it will be out for my birthday to which I remarked , it shall, but I don't think I'll be able to wait that long!

Anyway, I digress. We had a great time at River Cottage and of course, I am going to do a post about it but I went slightly wild with the camera (I blame that homemade cider) so it might take me a few days to get it sorted.

It was lovely to have a bit of time at the cottage but after our extended trips over the Summer holidays, going back to a "Friday night 'til Sunday afternoon" scenario is a bit depressing. However, I did get to spend all of Sunday faffing around arranging the new things I'd made recently and the goodies from my order from Cath K which had turned up and been stashed down the side of the garden shed all week, shock horror!!!

In Friday's post, there was a photo of some pretty strips of fabric adorned with Cath K fabric and ribbons and ricrac. They have become...napkin rings. I made these following the "Napkin ring with buttoned detail" project in a booklet that came free with Country Homes and Interiors mag a while back (sorry, I can't remember which month though I think it was between the New Year and March) entitled "Country-Style Sewing".

It was great for using up bits from my scrap basket and add to that the fact I got to add loads of bits of ricrac, ribbon and buttons and I was in heaven! I think they've turned out quite cute?

I made quite a few in all sorts of random colours, as you can see, but I'm already hankering after a red and white polka dot set and think that co-ordinated sets would make good Christmas gifts.

Also from the same free booklet, I made this peg bag. My goodness, I made something I actually needed!

Another opportunity to faff with left-over bits of fabric and ribbons, suits me! I think these would make nice pressies too so everytime I cut fabric out for a project and have the right sized piece left over, I'm running up another one.

I also made the apron you can see me wearing in the photo above, where I'm hanging out that pretty embroidered cloth (some naughty person got blackcurrant jam on it at breakfast, grrrrrr). It's reversible and made from a "Montessori by Hand" pattern (somewhat confusingly, they now call themselves "Sew Liberated") which I bought on Etsy. The side you can see in this photo is made from a fab retro fabric, '50s kitchen inspired, by Michael Miller, the reverse is red and white polka dots.

I also can report that I made something useful (William Morris would be proud of me)! It's this holder for carrier bags. I was fed up with them loose and wild in the cupboard. These are so ridiculously simple to make and you only need a small piece of fabric, about 50 x 20cm.

What else? Ah yes, some bunting for the bathroom which falls into neither the "needed" nor "useful" category but I like it anyway!

Last but not least, the nights are turning chilly and I bought the Munchkin a hot water bottle last year and have been promising to make a cover. This is the result...

Very snuggly he was too!

Praise also to my other half who has fixed up these shelves for me in the kitchen. I could while away hours just fiddling about with my display on these although they are, of course, fulfilling a strictly functional purpose...

Thanks so much for reading, now I must get on with reading the new issue of The English Home, oops, I mean the ironing!!!

Love that strictly functional shelving - great sewing too - you're very industrious! I find bunting is a great place to keep cobwebs which in turn are great fly catchers - so it is functional after all! t.x

Rent Lilac Cottage

My Den

About Me

Hello and thank you for visiting the HenHouse. I'm a stay-at-home thirty-something mum looking after Mr HenHouse and the Munchkin, aged 13 (going on 18). We also have a gorgeous and very spoiled ginger tom, Charlie Boy. Sadly we had to say goodbye to our two other furry boys this year. We have recently moved from the city to our dream home in the West Country. I have always loved vintage and have collections of eiderdowns, china and fabrics to name just a few. I love sewing and am an avid patchworker and quilter. As a family, we are dotty about the past and love the 1940s, often dressing up for re-enactment events. To fund my fabric habit, I sell handmade items in my Etsy shop. I'm pretty nutty about interiors, too and our homes have been featured in various magazines.